Chelsea Manning says she was denied entry to Canada

TORONTO, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Chelsea Manning was turned back at the Canadian-U.S. border because she was convicted of espionage for passing information to Wikileaks, the former U.S. intelligence analyst said on Monday.

Manning told Reuters via direct message on Twitter that she drove up to the Canadian border in Lacolle, Quebec, on Thursday evening, planning to vacation in Montreal and Vancouver.

She said she was stopped at the border and detained overnight before being handed a report stating she was inadmissible "on grounds of serious criminality," according to a picture of the report she posted online.

The offenses Manning was convicted of under the U.S. Espionage Act "would equate to an indictable offense, namely Treason" if committed in Canada, the report reads.

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ABC NEWS - ABC News' 'Nightline' co-anchor Juju Chang sits down with Chelsea Manning for the first exclusive television interview since Manning's prison release. The interview will air on an upcoming special edition of Nightline, 'Declassified: The Chelsea Manning Story.'
(Photo by Heidi Gutman/ABC via Getty Images)
CHELSEA MANNING

U.S. soldier Chelsea Manning, who was born male but identifies as a woman, imprisoned for handing over classified files to pro-transparency site WikiLeaks, is pictured dressed as a woman in this 2010 photograph obtained on August 14, 2013.Courtesy U.S. Army/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. EDITORIAL USE ONLY

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 25: Chelsea Manning and Gavin Grimm ride with the ACLU in the 2017 Pride March on June 25, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Taylor Hill/WireImage)

People hold signs calling for the release of imprisoned wikileaks whistleblower Chelsea Manning while marching in a gay pride parade in San Francisco, California June 28, 2015. Manning has appealed to an Army court to overturn her court-martial conviction, a court filing released on Thursday said. REUTERS/Elijah Nouvelage/File Photo

A placard showing Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden photos is seen during the Easter March for Peace in Roemerberg, Frankfurt, Germany, 06 April 2015. Some 2000 demonstrators gathered before the City Hall to advocate for peace, under the motto 'Stop war and war propaganda - Solve conflicts peacefully'. Thousands have gathered to participate in over 80 events for peace during the Easter period in Germany. (Photo by Horacio Villalobos/Corbis via Getty Images)

U.S. Army Pfc. Bradley Manning is escorted out of a courthouse during his court martial at Fort Meade in Maryland, August, 20, 2013. Manning, 25, the soldier convicted of giving classified U.S. files to WikiLeaks, could face as up to 90 years in prison for giving more than 700,000 classified files, battlefield videos and diplomatic cables to the pro-transparency website. Prosecutors asked for 60 years, while the defense asked the judge not to rob him of his youth. REUTERS/Jose Luis Magana (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS CRIME LAW MILITARY)

Demonstration for Chelsea Manning in London, England, United Kingdom. Chelsea Manning (born Bradley Edward Manning) is a United States Army soldier who was convicted by court-martial in July 2013 of violations of the Espionage Act and other offenses, after disclosing to WikiLeaks nearly three-quarters of a million classified or unclassified but sensitive military and diplomatic documents. Manning was sentenced in August 2013 to 35 years imprisonment, with the possibility of parole in the eighth year, and to be dishonorably discharged from the Army. Manning is a trans woman who, in a statement the day after sentencing, said she had felt female since childhood, wanted to be known as Chelsea, and desired to begin hormone replacement therapy. From early life and through much of her Army life, Manning was known as Bradley; she was diagnosed with gender identity disorder while in the Army. (photo by Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images)

Demonstration for Chelsea Manning in London, England, United Kingdom. Chelsea Manning (born Bradley Edward Manning) is a United States Army soldier who was convicted by court-martial in July 2013 of violations of the Espionage Act and other offenses, after disclosing to WikiLeaks nearly three-quarters of a million classified or unclassified but sensitive military and diplomatic documents. Manning was sentenced in August 2013 to 35 years imprisonment, with the possibility of parole in the eighth year, and to be dishonorably discharged from the Army. Manning is a trans woman who, in a statement the day after sentencing, said she had felt female since childhood, wanted to be known as Chelsea, and desired to begin hormone replacement therapy. From early life and through much of her Army life, Manning was known as Bradley; she was diagnosed with gender identity disorder while in the Army. (photo by Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images)

ABC NEWS - ABC News' 'Nightline' co-anchor Juju Chang sits down with Chelsea Manning for the first exclusive television interview since Manning's prison release. The interview will air on an upcoming special edition of Nightline, 'Declassified: The Chelsea Manning Story.'
(Photo by Heidi Gutman/ABC via Getty Images)
CHELSEA MANNING

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 25: Chelsea Manning and Gavin Grimm ride during the 2017 Pride March in the West Village on June 25, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Taylor Hill/WireImage)

ABC NEWS - ABC News' 'Nightline' co-anchor Juju Chang sits down with Chelsea Manning for the first exclusive television interview since Manning's prison release. The interview will air on an upcoming special edition of Nightline, 'Declassified: The Chelsea Manning Story.'
(Photo by Heidi Gutman/ABC via Getty Images)
JUJU CHANG, CHELSEA MANNING

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Manning said she was getting a Canadian lawyer and planned to challenge the finding of inadmissibility before a Canadian tribunal.

A spokesman for Immigration and Refugee Minister Ahmed Hussen would not comment on the case, citing privacy concerns.

"Each case is unique and assessed on its own merits," Hursh Jaswal wrote in an email. "Our government is committed to ensuring that every case put forward ... is evaluated based on its merits and in a fair manner. All applicants can expect impartial, professional treatment and clear, accountable decision-making."

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declined to comment on Monday.

"I look forward to seeing more details about this," he told reporters.

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Chelsea Manning's Instagram shines light on new life

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Chelsea Manning's Instagram shines light on new life

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